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Listach among additions to LA Minors coaching staffs

Listach among additions to LA Minors coaching staffs

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By Thomas Harding
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MLB.com |

Former Cubs third-base coach Pat Listach will join the Dodgers' Minor League system as infield coordinator in 2013 -- one of few changes to a farm system that compiled the third-best winning percentage among big league teams last year.

Other key additions to the Dodgers system are Todd Takayoshi as assistant hitting coordinator and Rick Knapp as assistant pitching coordinator. Otherwise, Monday's announcement of Minor League assignments in the Dodgers system celebrated stability, after four of the team's seven affiliates made the postseason and overall the system posted a .531 winning percentage.

For example, Lorenzo Bundy returns to manage Triple-A Albuquerque after earning Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year honors last season. The majority of the staff will remain in place, with field coordinator Bruce Hines (fourth season); senior advisors, player development Gene Clines (third season) and Charlie Hough (third season); and Ramon Martinez (fourth as front-office member, third as season advisor, Latin America). Coordinators returning in the same position as last year are Rafael Chavez (pitching, fifth season), Eric Owens (hitting, third season), Damon Mashore (outfield/baserunning, second season) and Travis Barbary (sixth as catching coordinator, 19th season overall).

John Shoemaker, who has been a player, coach, manager or coordinator in the Dodgers organization since 1977, will assume the role of Camelback Ranch-Glendale coordinator of instruction, a position he held from 2009-10. Shoemaker served as the manager at Class A Great Lakes the past two seasons.

The new coordinators bring plenty of experience.

Listach, 45, who was the Cubs' bench coach in 2011 before becoming third-base coach last year, brings 13 years of coaching experience to the Dodgers, including time as a manager at the Double-A and Triple-A level. Listach played six seasons in the Majors as an infielder.

Takayoshi spent the past 11 seasons coaching in the Angels system, including the last six as roving hitting coordinator (he doubled as field coordinator in 2011). Takayoshi won two league batting titles as a left-handed-hitting catcher during four years playing in the Angels system.

Knapp has spent 30 years in professional baseball. After serving as the Tigers' pitching coach from 2009-11, he spent last season as the Royals' Minor League pitching coordinator.

Some of the changes in the system were made to replace coaches who, after successful seasons in the Minors, were promoted to the Major League staff. They were John Valentin (Triple-A Albuquerque hitting coach in 2012) and Chuck Crim (Double-A Chattanooga pitching coach in 2012), who are the Major League assistant hitting coach and bullpen coach, respectively.

Bundy, who led Albuquerque to 80 wins last season to tie a franchise record, will be joined by pitching coach Glenn Dishman, in his third year at Triple-A and ninth in the Dodgers chain, and hitting coach Franklin Stubbs, who held the job at Chattanooga the last two years.

Jody Reed, a two-time Manager of the Year in three seasons managing in the Minors, will manage at Chattanooga after serving as the Dodgers' infield coordinator last year. Reed led the Rookie-level Arizona League Dodgers to a title in 2011 and the Class A Gulf Coast League Yankees to a crown in '07. Hector Berrios will be Chattanooga's pitching coach after holding the same job at Great Lakes last year. Orv Franchuk, who managed Edmonton to the independent Northern League championship in 2011, will be the Chattanooga hitting coach.

Carlos Suberto, entering his fifth season working in the Dodgers organization, becomes manager at Class A Rancho Cucamonga after spending the last three years managing Chattanooga. Last year, Chattanooga went 41-29 in the second half to earn a playoff berth. Onetime Dodgers pitcher Matt Herges, recently pitching coach for the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League, will return for his second year as Rancho Cucamonga pitching coach. Johnny Washington becomes the hitting coach after coaching at Camelback Ranch-Glendale last season and hitting coach at the Rookie level the previous three years.

Managing Class A Great Lakes will be Razor Shines, who brings a 572-546 managerial record in eight years in the Reds, White Sox and Phillies organizations. Bill Simas moves to Great Lakes as pitching coach after holding the job for Rookie-level Ogden last year, and Mike Eylward will be the Great Lakes hitting coach after spending the last four years coaching in the Angels system.

Damon Berryhill returns for a fifth season at Ogden. He has led the team to the playoffs the last four years, and the Raptors posted the league's best overall record last year. Esteban Lopez will serve as the club's hitting coach after working with Minor League hitters at Camelback Ranch last season. The Raptors' pitching coach will be announced later.

P.J. Forbes will manage the Rookie-level Arizona League Dodgers after nine seasons managing in the Phillies and Pirates systems. Leo Garcia will be hitting coach for the fifth straight season, and Kremlin Martinez will be pitching coach for the second season and is in his 10th year with the Dodgers.